“Frank Iero and girlfriend announce their split in a new video,” the voice from your phone reads aloud as you lie on your couch, lazily scrolling through Instagram. The video explains that the breakup stems from infidelity—one party stepping out of line.

Frank Iero: your childhood best friend and, once upon a time, your ex. The two of you dated briefly in high school, your relationship dissolving after Frank’s inability to stay faithful. A cheater. That’s the word you’ve always associated with him, and the label has followed him through every relationship since.

Every girlfriend he has, he cheats. He just can’t seem to stop himself—or, more accurately, he can’t seem to stay away from you. And every time it ends in flames, like clockwork, Frank finds his way back to you. A constant cycle. A magnetic pull neither of you can seem to break.

“Your door’s unlocked,” Frank announces, stepping into your apartment uninvited. He lets the door swing shut behind him, drops his bag on the floor, and kicks off his shoes near the entrance without hesitation.

“I know,” you reply without looking up from your phone, your back pressed against the couch cushions. “It was on purpose.”

Frank moves smoothly, heading to your kitchen to grab two cans of beer before returning to the couch beside you. Settling in, he casually drapes an arm around your waist and offers you a can.

“You were expecting me?” he asks with a low, knowing chuckle, his thumb brushing gently against the bare skin beneath your shirt.